The Nifty Foodie

Weight Loss Milestones

20% (60 lbs.)

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It’s been three months since I posted about a weight loss milestone. I have to admit, these past 10 lbs. were hard to lose. I was chugging along with my calorie counting, and then Thanksgiving hit. Then, my husband and I went on a cruise (with unlimited fabulous food). And THEN, there was Christmas. While the fudge, cookies & comfort food were worth it, I had to get right back on track! I’m so thrilled to see results again!

The weird thing about losing weight is I always feel like I look like my “before”. I can still stand in front of a mirror, and I still have those fat feelings. I feel like eh, 60 lbs. isn’t THAT much. I still look fat. And really, I’m just about halfway done with my weight loss journey. I know I still have a long way to go.

I know I shouldn’t feel that way, but you are your worst critic, right?

So, on Saturday, I decided to try a regular clothing store for the first time since…um…high school. My measurements were getting close to a size 20 on the chart at Old Navy, so I thought…why not try? I pulled up the jeans, buttoned them, said a little prayer as I pulled the zipper and….THEY FIT! Holy cow! My first regular size jeans in a LONG time!

My progress pictures are a little bit different this time around since I was SO stoked in these pictures (taken in the fitting room at Old Navy), and really felt I should share them. When I made the progress collage this morning, I totally freaked out a little bit. Like I said, I usually still feel like my “before” self, but after looking at these pictures, I truly see progress!

20% (60 lbs. down) collage

Some NSVs (non-scale victories):

  • I’m able to grab my feet when I stretch after a workout. I totally Instagrammed that picture too…my belly always got in the way during my stretches…until now. 🙂
  • I fit in size 18 pants (womens) and size 20 pants (misses).
  • Ok, this is a scale victory. I weigh less than I did on my wedding day!
  • My coworkers are constantly pointing out my droopy pants. 🙂 I don’t mind at all (It actually makes my day!), but I did buy some new work pants and jeans this weekend (I purchase new pants every other size, and only if they’re on clearance…like less than $20/pair).

I still can’t believe how far I’ve come. I mean….my next mini-goal is 75 lbs. I’m 15 lbs. away from that. CRAZY!

50 lbs.

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Last October was the first time I hit the 290s. I knew I had to do something, but I was so overwhelmed to be so close to 300 lbs. I was embarrassed that I let myself go that much, but I had no motivation to do anything about it. I remember thinking that there was no way I could start in October, since the holidays were just around the corner. Then, the new year showed up. I knew it was so typical to have a weight loss resolution, but my motivation was back. I was wearing size 26 jeans and had some 3x tops. I was headed towards the max size that most plus size stores go, and I just couldn’t live like that anymore. I weighed 298.5 lbs. on day 1.

It’s been a long 10 months, and while my weight loss isn’t as fast as others, I’m still proud of myself. I’ve lost 50 lbs. Sometimes, I look at the scale in disbelief, because I was so used to the 290s. I feel like someday the scale is going to tell me that it’s been lying all along, and this is all a dream. I know that won’t happen, but coming this far just doesn’t feel right. I’ve never lost this much weight, and I really didn’t think I was capable of this.

While I still have my cheat meals, I do have to say that this journey has been hard. It’s just a huge mind game. I feel like I’m getting better with my willpower, but that didn’t come easily. There were many days where I wanted to grab for a pint of ice cream or buy a certain snack that I missed, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop at one serving. There were times during C25K where I just wanted to quit, but I didn’t.

Here’s my progress pictures…before on the left…now on the right.

50 lbs. lost collage

  • My 2nd 5K is this weekend. I’m averaging a 15 minute mile, so I’m hoping I can do this 5K in 45 minutes. 🙂
  • I fit in size 20 jeans now, which is the jeans size I wore before our wedding. 3 pants sizes down!
  • All of my clothes from the skinny side of the closet fit. Most of my clothes from last year look frumpy.
  • I’m currently 8 lbs. away from the weight I was for our wedding. (WOWZA!)

I’m so stoked to be able to go get my first pair of boots. 🙂 These rewards really make reaching milestones that much more fun! It’s a huge enough reward to see myself getting smaller, but it’s just the icing on the cake to know that I get to treat myself to something fun that I wouldn’t normally spend my money on. 🙂

 

 

 

40 lbs.

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Two days ago, I looked at the scale and saw that I’ve lost 40 lbs. since my weight loss journey started. It’s been a wonderful 9 months (ha, that sounds like I’m talking about a pregnancy, doesn’t it?), because so many great things have happened since my last weight loss update (which was at 10%).

Here’s my progress (I had to include a certain photo-bomber for one of these pics). I’m wearing a different gray shirt for these, so I think it’s a little harder to see the progress, but eh…no big deal. 🙂

40 pounds collage

  • I’m running 30 minutes non-stop, and have signed up for my 2nd 5K (with a 3rd 5K in mind as well)
  • My size 24 jeans are crazy loose and my size 20 shorts from my honeymoon are still a little snug, but they fit!
  • I tried on a size 9 pair of shoes this past Sunday and they fit! I’m usually a size 10. It could be a brand difference, but heck, I’m still happy about it. 🙂
  • I’m starting to feel a little definition in my legs, especially my thighs.
  • I’m trying on some tops from 3 years ago (wedding time) and they are almost to the point to where I can wear them in public (without looking too snug).

I can’t believe that I’m 10 lbs. away from losing FIFTY pounds (time for some fun shoes soon!), and 18 lbs. away from my wedding weight. I really truly never thought this would happen, since my starting weight was really out of control, but I’m learning that if you REALLY want to lose weight…you CAN do it!

I have no idea how to thank you guys, but every time I write about weight loss or a work-out, I get so much support from y’all. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I have a long way to go, but gosh, with the support/sweet comments/virtual high fives that I’m getting, I don’t see my weight loss journey ending anytime soon! THANK YOU!

If you’re interested, here’s my previous weight loss updates:

5%

20 lbs.

10%

10%

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Do you ever look at pictures of people losing weight and think their before looks like they were inflated with extra air or something? I’m not trying to insult myself, but when I stare at my nearly 300 lb. self from January squeezing into an XL shirt, I think that. I went out in public like that regularly. I’m really embarrassed thinking back on it, but I always told myself that I was not a size 2XL shirt gal. Clearly, I should have been.

It’s been a little over seven months, three of those being a lull for me (I sort of gave up in the spring…woops!), but I finally reached the 260s this morning! That’s 10%, yall!

I took these pictures tonight, and while I don’t see much of a body shape difference, I definitely see that the XL shirt is a LOT looser. And yes, that’s the exact same shirt and capris I’m wearing in the pic to keep things uniform for progress pics. I also see it in my face…my double chin is slowly going away. 🙂

And yeah….I realize that after taking these pics that I was totally wearing a standard bra and in my current pic I was wearing my sports bra. So, things do look a lot different in the ladies department in these pics, but the difference isn’t that drastic. 😛

10% lost before/now

10% is a big step on this weight loss journey for me. While I still have about 85 lbs. to lose, I think this may have been the biggest hurdle for me to cross.

I feel like I’ve found a good balance, food and exercise wise. I’m on my weight loss plan every day. There are no “cheat days” for me, because I do not want to fall off the wagon like I have in the past. I log every single bite, but I still enjoy a weekly treat and/or meal. I just don’t binge anymore. In fact, you may notice I’m still baking like crazy (if you read my food blog). I’m happy that I get to enjoy every dish that I write about but now, I’m no longer eating 3-4 brownies in one sitting or a heaping bowl of homemade ice cream. It’s much smaller servings this time around, and I’m completely fine with that. As long as I have the calories (or since I’m giving Weight Watchers a try for a month right now, points), I don’t feel an ounce of guilt enjoying a treat.

Weight loss for me isn’t happening quickly. I’m not losing 5 lbs./week. I’m averaging about 2 lbs./week lately, and I’m completely stoked about that. In fact, I haven’t gained any weight the past 7 weeks that I’ve been back in the weight loss groove. 😀 So, while it’s slow, I know I’m still losing, and to me, that’s all that matters. At this rate, if I keep losing 2 lbs./week, I’ll be at my goal by spring of next year! That’s a really exciting thought, y’all!

Here’s some NSVs (non scale victories) that I’ve noticed since starting my weight loss journey:

  • Pants size before: 26 —– Pants size now: 22 or 24 depending on the jeans
  • Work shirt size before: 22/24 or 3x —– Work shirt size now: 18/20 or 2x (although I tried on a 1x shirt at Macy’s last week and that fit perfectly!)
  • I have to hook my bra on one notch in instead of pulling hoping that it hooks on the last notches.
  • I had terrible lower back pain this past winter. That’s not an issue anymore.
  • I ran for 5 minutes in a row TWICE this week (Thank you Couch to 5k!).
  • My BodyMedia Fit armband is no longer squeezing on my arm. It fits, but it doesn’t leave a red mark where the band was when I take it off.
  • My wedding rings are starting to feel loose again.

I know this post may come across as braggy, but I can’t help it. I’m VERY proud of myself for reaching this step. Look at what losing 10% can do! I even get a little reward for losing 10%. 🙂 Just all sorts of great things, y’all!

So, here we go to the next milestone! 50 lbs., here I come!

Since when is 20 lbs. not a big deal?

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I try not to think of the big picture. 120 lbs. gone  is the big picture. It’s a huge number, and when I think about it, I get extremely overwhelmed.

I start to question myself..

  • maybe if I liked regular milk instead of chocolate milk as a kid…
  • maybe if I didn’t have that Burger King habit when I worked at the grocery store…
  • maybe if I didn’t sneak an ice cream snack every day after school…
  • maybe if I ate better in the all you can eat cafeteria when I was in college…
  • maybe if I didn’t randomly grab fast food at 3am because I had the munchies…
  • maybe if I chose a career that wasn’t a desk job…
  • maybe if I kept going after the wedding with my weight loss instead of gaining 58 lbs…

In January 2012, I was staring at a weight that was dangerously close to 300 lbs. 300 lbs. Football players are supposed to be 300 lbs….not a gal like me.

So, I started doing something about it. Could I have done better the past 4 months? Of course. If I pushed myself, I could have probably lost double. But I was proud of the 20 lbs. that are gone. I’ll never see those pounds again.

Until yesterday. Yesterday, an email from someone who reads this blog basically said that 20 lbs. was nothing in the grand scheme of things, and this made me question those 20 lbs. I know…don’t let one random person get you down, but darnit, this one hit me hard. The email made me think about those other 100 lbs. that are left along my weight loss journey. I was staring at my before/now pictures and thinking negatively about the belly I still have, the double chin, the back fat….ugh. All I could see was the fat in my current pictures.

20 pounds down

(Left–before, right–4/16/2012)

After a few great, encouraging comments from y’all, I thought about it again….My XL shirts are looser. I can pull my jeans down (when they’re still buttoned), and if I forget to wear a belt (which BTW is on its last notch), it’s a battle all day to keep them up.

(Yeah, never forgetting my belt again…)

So, while 20 lbs. is a small fraction of my total weight loss goal, it’s still something. Something I’m very proud of. I still have 100 lbs. to go, but thinking about it, I only have 5 more rounds of 20 lbs. to lose. I can do this 5 more times. 🙂

 

5%

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Before: 298.5
This morning: 283.6 (close enough, darnit)

Y’all. 15 lbs. is the most weight I’ve lost since trying to lose weight for the wedding. I know 15 lbs. isn’t a lot when you have 105 more to lose, but to me, I no longer have 120 lbs. to lose. I have 105 lbs. to lose, and that’s exciting stuff to me!

Back at my highest weight, my husband took “before” pics of me. I wanted to curiously take a picture of myself today to compare, and whoa…there’s results y’all.

To note: both of these are XL shirts and 18/20 workout pants at Lane Bryant. I’m not sucking in for either one, I swear.

5% down

In the before, my XL shirt was super tight. I would be embarrassed to wear an XL unless I or my H pulled my shirt to stretch it out. Now, it’s getting loose, and no longer riding up because it is too tight to wear. (Sorry XL shirts for the months of torture.)

You guys, I know this isn’t much weight, but look at the difference. I didn’t take my before measurements until last week (stupid, I know), so right now, this is what is driving me to that 10% of your weight lost. The benefits of losing just 10% of your weight is completely worth it. Google what losing 10% does, y’all. You’ll see.

So, since I reached my first goal, it’s time for a pedicure. YAY! I can’t wait to make that appointment. 🙂